Suddenly, a hoarse voice from behind startled her.
âWho are you?â
Ariana spun around, encountering an elderly man wearing a white coat and a gas mask.
Ariana and Calvin were so startled that they didnât say a word to respond.
Once more, the old man inquired, âWho are you?â
Meeting his gaze, Ariana felt a surge of unease.
She replied stiffly, âHello, we have an appointment with the doctor for a consultation.
â
Surveying them both, the old man posed another question.
âWhich one of you is seeking plastic surgery?â
Ariana pointed towards Calvin, but to her surprise, the old man waved his hand dismissively after a glance at Calvin and declared, âI donât cater to individuals whoâve undergone plastic surgery already.
You should leave now.
â
Realization dawned on Ariana suddenly, prompting her to exclaim, âAre you the doctor I had an appointment with?â
The elderly man responded with a grunt, stripping off his bloodied gloves and tossing them into a waste bin before making his way to the kitchen.
Following closely, Ariana attempted to continue, âIf thereâs anything you need, please feel freeâ¦â
She stopped mid-sentence when she noticed the man pulling a container from the refrigerator, its contents a vivid red liquid.
The man calmly offered her a glass, asking, âWould you like some?â
Ariana eyed the crimson fluid warily, quickly declined with a polite smile, and said, âNo, thank you.
Iâm not in the mood for a drink right now.
â
The elderly man scoffed, remarking, âYou truly donât appreciate the finer things.
This is freshly extracted pomegranate juice, a new product on the market.
Itâs good for your skin.
â
Ariana forced a strained smile, internally questioning who would be brave enough to consume such an ominous-looking drink.
As she searched for the right words to convince the old man, he preempted her, stating, âI refuse to conduct su
rgery on that young fellow.
However, if youâre considering cosmetic procedures, I might entertain the idea.
â
âWhat?â Ariana was taken aback.
The old man studied Ariana closely for a moment before remarking, âYou seem to have a bit of thinning at the top of your head.
You might want to consider a hair transplant.
â
Upon hearing this, Ariana instinctively reached up to touch her hair.
Her mind raced with worry.
It must have been caused by all those late nights recently.
The old man continued, âYou could also think about reshaping your ears to those trendy elf earsâ¦â
As the old man proceeded to comment on nearly every feature of Arianaâs face, Ariana was left feeling increasingly unsure about her appearance, questioning aspects of herself she had never doubted before.
At that moment, Calvin, who had been quietly standing by, could no longer hold his tongue.
He stepped in to defend Ariana, asserting, âSheâs beautiful just the way she is.
Her natural beauty is what truly stands out, and she doesnât need to conform to fleeting trends.
â